f her robe, implored
her pardon for his presumption; adding, that he had been impelled to
this second intrusion solely by a desire to explain to her the motives
of his former conduct, which, he said, had been wrongly interpreted, and
to bid her farewell before he went into the banishment to which she had
doomed him.

"Rise, sir, rise," said Mary; "I will listen to no explanations forced
on me in this extraordinary manner. I desire that you instantly quit
this apartment. This repetition of your offence, sir, I will neither
bear with nor overlook. Rise, I command you, and begone!"

Instead of obeying, the infatuated poet not only persisted in remaining
in the position he was in, but, still keeping hold of the queen's robe,
began to speak the language of passion and love. The queen endeavoured
to release herself from his hold, and was in the act of attempting to do
so, when the door of the apartment, which Chatelard had closed behind
him, was violently thrown open, and the Earl of Murray entered. Having
advanced two or three steps, he stood still, and, folding his arms
across his breast, looked sternly, but in silence, first at the queen,
and then at Chatelard; keeping, at the same time, sufficiently near the
door to prevent the escape of the latter, in case he should make such an
attempt. Having gazed on them for some time without opening his lips,
but with an ominous expression of countenance--

"Well, Sir Poet," he at length said, addressing Chatelard, with cold
deliberation, "pray do me the favour to enlighten me as to the meaning
of your having thus intruded yourself into the queen's apartment. Why do
I find you here, sir, and wherefore have I found you in the position
from which you have just now risen? Pray, sir, explain."

"I came here, my lord," replied Chatelard, with firmness and dignity,
"to take leave of Her Majesty before returning to France, for which I
set out to-morrow."

An ironical and incredulous smile played on the stern countenance of
Murray. "A strange place this, methinks, and a strange season, for
leave-taking; and yet stranger than all the language in which I just now
heard you speak. You are aware, I presume, sir," he added, "that you are
just now in the queen's sleeping apartment, where none dare intrude but
on the peril of their lives. But probably, madam," he said, now turning
to the queen, without waiting any reply to his last remark, "you can
explain the meaning of this extraordinary sc